A renin inhibiting compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein A is a substituent; W is C.dbd.O or CHOH; U is CH.sub.2 or NR.sub.2, provided that when W is CHOH then U is CH.sub.2 ; R.sub.1 is loweralkyl, cycloalkylmethyl, benzyl, 4-methoxybenzyl, halobenzyl, (1-naphthyl)methyl, (2-napththyl)methyl, (4-imidazoyl)methyl, .alpha.,.alpha.-dimethylbenzyl, 1-benzyloxyethyl, phenethyl, phenoxy, thiophenoxy or anilino; R.sub.2 is hydrogen or loweralkyl; R.sub.3 is loweralkyl, [(alkoxy)alkoxy]alkyl, (thioalkoxy)alkyl, loweralkenyl, benzyl or heterocyclic ring substituted methyl; R.sub.4 is loweralkyl, cycloalkylmethyl or benzyl; R.sub.5 is vinyl, formyl, hydroxymethyl or hydrogen; R.sub.7 is hydrogen or loweralkyl; R.sub.8 and R.sub.9 are independently selected from OH and NH.sub.2 ; and R.sub.6 is hydrogen, loweralkyl, vinyl or arylalkyl; provided that when R.sub.5 and R.sub.7 are both hydrogen and R.sub.8 and R.sub.9 are OH, the carbon bearing R.sub.5 is of the "R" configuration and the carbon bearing R.sub.6 is of the "S" configuration; or pharmaceutically acceptable salts or esters thereof. Also disclosed are renin inhibiting compositions, a method of treating hypertension, methods of making the renin inhibiting compounds and intermediates useful in making the renin inhibiting compounds.